What gear have you wore in a get off?

[gutsrus]

We have a similar topic running at the FJR Forum (http://www.fjrforum.com/forum), but since this place has so many more members, I figure there will be much more experience, unfortunately.

I would like to know what worked or did not, under what conditions/situation and first hand experience on how severely the gear in question was tested.

One of our members looped his Gixxer at 130 in an Aerostich and walked away unscathed. However, he was recently taken out for good by a bad encounter with a minivan.

So please post up on what really works tried and true or what fell apart. Thanks!

Also, if you didn't wear gear, feel free to share what, if any, injuries you felt you suffered that could have been lessened/prevented by gearing up (I hope there are none of these stories, but thinking there probably are).

[Sidewalk]

One piece Harley (don't laugh) FXRG suit, much like an Aerostitch but all black.

Ran wide on my Buell X1, went up an embrankment and flipped the bike. I landed on my back and slid a short distance, walked away with a bruise on my ankle the size of a quarter. Bike was trucked home.

Same suit, looped a Buell Blast at about 10 MPH, landed straight on the knee and ripped the suit. Minor scrape to the knee. Walked up to the bike, picked it up, rode it back home.

Low side in the rain on my KTM at about 30 MPH with an Tourmaster jacket, MX boots, Fox standard knee/shin pads. Pulled some muscles, but I rode away. Nearly ripped through the jeans even at those slow speeds in slick conditions. I rarely ride in jeans anymore.

Still wear the same suit, until I can get an equivalent suit I can afford.

[slydrite]

Originally posted by Sidewalk
:blah :blah Harley :blah

Ran wide on my Buell X1, :blah :blah

looped a Buell Blast :blah :blah

hmmmm....I think I see the root of your problem.....

:laughing

:twofinger

[Z3n]

First accident...Highsided my ZX-6E. Was wearing a cortech magnum jacket, brand X leather overpants, (perforated), A* Sp-2's, dress shoes, and an Arai Astral.

Happened at about 30-40mph, went basically headfirst into the concrete. Helmet was toast, gloves were ok, although i replaced them on principal, jacket had the typical scuffing but was fine as well, I had only slight scraping on the knee of the pants, and my shoes didn't scuff at all.

2nd accident was a lowside at 30mphish when a lady made a left in front of me and i swerved and got on the brakes too fast on cold tires.

Same jacket, same gloves, same helmet, dickies, and skate shoes. Had roadrash on my knees, little bit on my side where the jacket pulled up, no other damage to me. The jacket split a seam on the shoulder, the gloves had only minor scuffing, and the astral went face first into the concrete. Dickies were worn through on one knee only, despite me having roadrash on both of them. Shoes got a bit torn up.

Last accident was a 5mph lowside making a left, full gear, OGK helmet, A* Dyno jacket zipped into A* track pants, garnae boots, A* SP-2 gloves. Slight scuffing on the pants, my helmet didn't hit the ground, slight scuffing on the jacket.

[squid vicious]

80mph highside Thunderhill:
Spidi R2
Arai quantum 2
Alpinestar SMX
Held "Steve" s/t gloves
Tpro back protector.

Only the helmet need replacement, all other gear is still being used.

50mph Lowside Reno-Fernley:
Corner Futura 1pc
Arai quantum II
Alpinestar SMX
Held "Steve" s/t gloves

All gear survived, I was unharmed

30mph Lowside Stockton motorplex:
Vanson Lightning MKII jacket
Vanson Technical Sport Rider pants
Arai Quantum II
Dianese S/T boots
Held "Steve" sport touring gloves

You can't even tell where I slid on those vansons. That's my street gear that gets worn just about everyday still.

[Sidewalk]

Originally posted by slydrite
hmmmm....I think I see the root of your problem.....

:laughing

:twofinger As a matter in fact, neither of my Honda's have been down, and my wife only dropped her Honda because she was rear ended at a stop light by a cell phone driver.

I am safer on a Honda, big surprise :twofinger

[Ratters]

Well, first accident was taking a left turn in a neighborhood street too fast for my ability at the time and slammed sideways into the sidewalk and high sided at about 25mph by the time I hit.

Second was hitting an air compressor being towed by a truck in the middle of an intersection. Slowed to about 5mph by the time I hit.

Both times I was wearing tennis shoes, jeans, and a sweat shirt. No helmet or gloves. First accident I landed on a lawn right next to a mail box and telephone pole on my hands and knees completely unhurt. Second one I landed on my hands and knees and scuffed my hand and got a rasberry on the knees.

Very fortunate both times I didn't land on my head. Much of survival is luck. All the gear in the world isn't going to keep you from getting killed if you strike a solid object at a very high rate of speed. The last 80k miles I could have ridden naked and been unhurt.

Now I wear full gear always and try to never need to test it out. The best protection is to not crash at all. ;)

[thendougsaid]

haha i read... "what gear have you worn to get off" ... ummm usually nothing... haha

seriously though... low sided at about 25... wearing jacket helmet gloves with jeans and sneaks. small road rash on knee and a hole in my glove.

[nvp]

Tank slapper bail off at 110mph+ at Infineon raceway while riding my (then) 2 month old 1000rr. After separating from the bike I slid about 100 yards on my back and came to a rest as I first touched the cement barrier on the left side of the back straight.

I was wearing:
- Kushitani one piece leathers
- Dainese back protector
- AS GP Plus gloves
- Arai Quantum
- Sidi veribrae boots

Everything worked beautifully except the leathers... didn't fit quite right. During the slide the knee armor shifted and at some point I banged it... broke the knee cap in half. Also, no fault of the equipment, all the fault of the tank slapper, I ripped a ligament in my left thumb.

I sold the leathers because they didn't fit. They were a bit scufffed, but not comprimised in the least. A couple seams came loose on the gloves - replaced. helmet - replaced (although it barely hit the ground). And I still wear the Sidi boots today.

N

[4tuneit1]

Had a couple get offs in my 20 years...the reason for my handle here...but my worst was a life flight outta Calaveras Canyon.

Lost control of my bike due to a construction nail in my back tire exiting a high speed turn at about 80-90mph...fellow rider crashed into me sending us both sailing...


Me- Nylon mesh jacket, Fox gauntlet gloves, Shoei Scott Russel, jeans, steel toe boots.

Result: Hit pavement center line, about 65mph on my head and shoulder, rolled and rolled. Distance from bike 150ft.

Gear: Helmet scuffed and cracked, ripped jacket in numerous places, jeans ripped through knees, Fox gloves broke a seam on pinky fingers, boots worn to the steel.

Injuries: Concussion, knees ground down to bone (repaired though), rash, and bruises. No broken bones. But short term memory loss and depression following. 3 months in crutches to heal my busted knees.


Other rider-

Flew into barbed wire fence hitting metal pole and bending it in half.

Gear: Full leathers, back protector, helmet, gloves, boots.

Injuries: Ruptured Spleen, broken ribs, broken arm, internal bleeding, concussion.

Without his gear he would have been cut to ribbons, and i believe the back protector saved him from more serious injuries as his body hit the pole. Though his recovery was looooooooong and miraculous.

[budman]

A few for me and very lucky I do believe..
I am leaving out the first 50 or so falls on dirt bike as a kid or young teen.

On the road:
When a teenager.. I would often wear a corduroy jacket or jean jacket and jeans or even cord pants. Always wore gloves and a helmet. I knew better from years of dirt biking, but thought I would not fall I guess.

#1:Broadsided a horse trailer in cord's top and bottom (about 45-55 MPH impact)
Helmet saved my life, got a concussion and broke a collar bone. Because of the immediate stop other gear would have been irrelevant. Thru away the helmet.

#2: Highsided on greasy shit at about 30MPH.. same clothing.
Hit the head.. rolled out of it with a minor scrape on the elbow.. gloves had a little abrasion. Again Lucky.

#3. Hit bicycle racks wearing just a T_shirt, and jeans. Still had the helmet and gloves. I was going only about 25 when I hit it. Endo'd and again rolled out.. no injuries.

Those wear the early years, now 21 and racing riding MX often.

#4 - #100: Dirt biking stuff.. always full gear. Broke a few bones, had a couple of concussions, minor scrapes and of course bruises.. etc.

Back to the asphalt(now in my mid/late 20's):

#101. Lowsided at 70MPH on the track and even got my leg run over. Injuries.. bruised leg. Leathers were Z customs and had minor damage.

#102: Lowsided on oil on the track just past start/finish beforeT-1 at Sears, at about 120MPH.. before any chicanes and on the run from the old T-11 where you were flying across start finish.

Same Z leathers full gear.. Spidi gloves and Frank Thomas boots.
Ended up sliding all the way to the tires barrier between the drag strip and T-1. Impact to the back and head at estimated 70-80MPH. Got burns on my palm from the metal rivets in the gloves heating up. Minor because I took my hand off the ground! Got a little road rash/asphalt plug in the foot because the foot got trapped for a second under the bike. Wore thru one layer of leather on the ass and was well into the second when I hit the tires. Major concussion from the head impacting the tires. Sprained back and neck. Damn Lucky...Z fixed the leathers. Helmet saved for posterity. :teeth

#103: Exiting T-11 at Sear again OIL again on lap one at a race (estimated 60MPH). Leathers were Kushitani and same with gloves. Tucked the front with another 12 bikes falling behind me. Minor scrapes on Leathers and minor sprained wrist.

Now late 30's:

#104: Laguna in '97 highside exiting T-11. Estimated 60MPH. Same old Kushitani leathers. Shoei helmet. Result: Concussion, deep cut on elbow, although leathers did not have an opening, crack rib, bruised scapula. Leathers got beat, but not damaged bad at all. Through away the helmet.

SO yeah.. luck is definitely involved when riding the street. On the track your gear up so quality of the goods and luck with impacts or tumbling/sliding are a key factor.

Current: have not fallen on the pavement since '97, a few bumps, scrapes and bruises in the dirt. I tend to gear up for the ride, but will wear jeans once in a while. Have been squidly clothing wise and wearing a helmet on the Harley (not anymore!), but no incidents.

:smoking